BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard vs Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +
Two cards, one Standard Score rubric. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + scores higher overall at 7.2/10, but the right pick depends on which components match your spending.
The verdict
StrongTwo $150 travel cards making different bets. The Ascend's case is its 5x travel multiplier and a first-year NEXUS credit, but BMO Rewards' 0.67¢ point value blunts those multipliers. The Passport skips the 2.5% FX fee, earns Scene+ at a flat, honest 1¢, and carries more of the included perks: six lounge visits a year to the Ascend's four, and travel medical for trips of up to 25 days to the Ascend's 21. Cross-border and overseas spenders take the Passport; heavy domestic travel spenders who will use the NEXUS credit take the Ascend.
See offer · current Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + offer, direct from the issuer
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
| BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Score | 6.4/10 · Situational | 7.2/10 · Strong |
| Annual fee | $150 (Waived first year (current offer), for the primary cardholder and authorized users) | $150 (Rebated only if you hold an eligible Scotiabank chequing account (Ultimate Package rebates the full $150; Preferred Package rebates $40); there is no first-year waiver on the card itself. $50 for each additional card, waived on the first supplementary card under the current offer.) |
| Welcome bonus | Up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points (60,000 on $5K/110 days + 20,000 on $10K/180 days + 35,000 anniversary on $20K/12 mo), plus first-year fee waived; apply by December 7, 2026 | Up to 35,000 Scene+ points (25,000 on $2K/3 mo + 10,000 annual on $40K), plus the $50 fee waived on your first supplementary card; offer ends November 1, 2026 |
| Est. bonus value | ≈ $770 | ≈ $350 |
| First-year net value | ≈ $586 | ≈ $450 |
| Earn rates |
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| Points currency | BMO Rewards | Scene+ |
| No FX fees | No | Yes |
| Lounge access | Yes | Yes |
Where the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard wins
No component wins: its rival scores at least as well on every Standard Score component.
Where the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + wins
- Ongoing value: scores 7.0/10 on this component
- Flexibility: scores 5.5/10 on this component
- Perk usability: scores 8.5/10 on this component
- Low friction: scores 9.0/10 on this component
- Strategic fit: scores 8.0/10 on this component
Read the full reviews: BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard and Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +, or see how both rank in Best Travel Credit Cards in Canada.
What the points are worth in dollars: BMO Rewards Points Value and Scene+ Points Value. Each has a calculator for your balance.